Pallet for molds.



PATENTBD MAR. is, 190e.

= C, M.- MORSE.

- PALLBT FOR MOLDs. .APPLIGAvTIOH FILED AUG. 24, 190%.4

lUrurEnsrArEs PATENT oEEroE.

' 'oEvILLE M. MORSE, oEJAoKsoN, MIcHIGAN.

PALLET'FOR MoLDs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March'lS, 1906.

Application filed August 24, `1904. Serial No. 221,918.

employ pallets of wood on account of their.

lightness and cheapness; but such pallets haveheretofore usually been found unsatisfactory. In use a pallet is placed in the bottom of the mold in which the cement block is to be formed and after the cement has been l poured in and is sufficiently set the block is removed-.from the mold and allowed to dry out Without being removed from the pallet.-y

In consequence'the pallet is subjected first to the action of moisture, which permeates it .to a greater or less degree, and later to a slow 4drying process, which 1s retarded on one face by its contact with the slowly-setting block. Under these conditions the pallet quickly warps out of shape to such an extent as to be` Y useless and has to be discarded.

I The object of my invention is to vprovide a pallet the body whereof is of wood which is so reinforced with metal as to be prevented from warping and enerally strengthened.

In the drawingsI have shown, in Figure 1, a section of a pallet embodying my'invention, showing in dotted lines a mold wherewith it may be used. Fig. 2 is an isometric perspective ofthe pallet shown in Fig. 1.

In the drawings like numerals of reference lin both figures refer to like parts.

Referring now to the drawings, 5 indicates the Wood pallet-body, which is usually a ii'at plate of wood having its grain extending engthwise therethrough and cut to suit the internal conguration of the mold. Some molds are provided with central' cores, in which case the pallet-body, as indicated in the drawings, is cut away, as at 6, toreceive the core; but usually thepallet-body is solid throughout. In` combination with the wood body of the pallet I employ reinforcing metal pieces arranged to reslstthe warping tendency ofl the wood. To this end I arrange metal reinforcing-pieces preferably at or near `the ends of the pallet-body to extend transversely of the grain of the wood, so as to prevent the pallet from warping or curling.

Furthermore, I prefer to embed the metal pieces wholly orl partially in the wood body and so arrange them that they permit the normal expansion and contraction of the wood, whlle preventing the warping thereof.

In the s ecic construction 7 indicates a metal rein orcing-piece, preferably a piece of sheet metal folded upon itself to aord a double thickness and embedded wholly in the wood, preferablymidway between the top and bottom surfaces thereof and preferably extending transversely of the body from side to -side and longitudinally to any suitable depth. A single sheet of metal might be em- -ployed with some advantage; but I prefer the doubled construction shown, for the reason that` the spring tendency of the two leaves of the piece 7 tends to maintain the `strip in position.

8 indicates in general a reinforcing-piece comprising a central portion 9, preferably of greater length than the width of the palletbody, and edge portions 1.0 10 of length substantially equal to the width ofthe palletbody, the edges 10 l0 being bent'inward and Y preferably then doubledback upon themselves in such a way4 that said edge portions converge somewhat from a maximum distance of separation at their juncture with the body 9 toward their free doubled ends, thel area inclosed thereby being of dovetailed shape.

A portion l2 of the end of the pallet extending across the same from side to side issimilarly shaped, being preferably formed by sawing converging grooves in the end of the pallet parallel in the vdirection of their length and converging in the direction of their depth and of a depth and thickness corresponding with the depth and thickness of the bent edge portion 10 of a metallic piece. The metallic reinforcingiece is usually inserted in these grooves en wise, and when in place the por- -tions 9 of the central body 9, projecting beyond the edge portion 10, arebent down over the side of the wood body, as shown in Fig. 2. Preferably the bent end portions or ears 9 do not closely fit against the sides of the wood body when the latter is in dry condition, so that certain amount of swelling ofthe wood may be accommodated without pressure against the ears 9. ,It will be apparent that the. methodk of inserting the reinforcing-piece 8 permits of expansion and contraction of the Wood'laterally practically without resistance; but the wood body is greatly strengthened IOC . `the wood without material hindrance.

will also be apparent that either the piece 7 and rigidly held against warping. At the right end of Fig. 1 I have shown the pieces 7 and 8 as separate; but they might be formed of a single piece, as shown at the left end of said figure, the ears`9 being in such cases bifurcated, as at 9".

When the pallet is provided with an opening 6, as heretofore described, I prefer also that the portions of the woodbody at the end of the opening 6 be reinforced by strips 13, preferably of a single thickness, inserted therein preferably in substantially the same plane as the reinforcing-pieces 7 heretofore adverted to.

It will be apparent that in practice the ears 9 might be omitted and the piece 8 left without other securing means than its engagement with the wood body7 or that other suitable holding means might be employed, such as will permit the swelling and contraction pf t y ent of the United States, is

l. A pallet for molds comprising a wood body and a metal reinforcing-piece, having a central portion overlying anend portion of the wood body and having on each side of its median line a single bend, the bent edge portions projecting beyond the central portion and being embedded in the wood.

2. A pallet for molds comprising a Wood body and a metal reinforcing-piece having a central portion overlying and substantially completely covering an end of the Wood body, and inturned edge portions, the free edges whereof are separated a distance less than the width of the central portion, Said edge portions embracing therebetween a body of the wood.

3. A pallet for molds comprising a wood body having at its end a portion of dovetailed Ashape narrower toward the middle of the body than at its free extremity and a metal reinforcing member of similar configuration having its edges embracing the dovetailed portion of the wood,

4. A pallet for molds comprising a wood body and a metal reinforcing-piece substantially covering an end of said body, having inturned portions embedded in the wood body to retain said piece upon the body.

5. A pallet for molds comprising a wood body, and a metal reinforcing-piece having a part extending along the end of the wood from side to side thereof, a portion embedded in the body of the wood, and ears projecting from the first said portion bent down over the sides of the wood body.

6. A pallet for molds comprising a Hat wood body having formed in the ends thereof grooves parallel in the direction of their length, and converging in the direction of their depth to include between them a wood portion of dovetailed shape, and a metal reinforcing-piece having a central portion overlying the end of the wood body, and inturned edges interfitting in said grooves.

7. An article of manufacture consisting of a pallet for molds comprising a wood body having an aperture therein, reinforcing-pieces secured to its ends, and metal pieces embedded inthe wood adjacent the aperture.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ORVILLE M. MORSE. In presence of- GEORGE T. MAY,Jr., GEORGE L. CnINDAi-IL, 

